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Kat's Review of The Final Minute by Simon Kernick (Tina Boyd #7)

Synopsis: The lights are on, and I’m standing outside a half-open door. Feeling a terrible sense of foreboding, I walk slowly inside. And then I see her. A woman lying sprawled across a huge double bed. She’s dead. There’s blood everywhere. And the most terrifying thing of all is that I think her killer might be me …’

A traumatic car-crash. A man with no memory, haunted by nightmares. When the past comes calling in the most terrifying way imaginable, Matt Barron is forced to turn to the one person who can help. Ex Met cop, turned private detective, Tina Boyd. Soon they are both on the run .….

My Review: As a seasoned Kernick reader he has a pretty tried and tested formula which keeps us readers happy. Thankfully his latest release is no different and you end up feeling like you’ve just done an hour long workout just reading the first few chapters! Matt Baron takes centre stage in this latest Kernick novel as a man that is suffering with a form of amnesia. He has been told he was involved in a car crash, and is being cared for by his sister. As Matt starts to slowly recover his memory starts to play tricks with him when he suffers a recurring dream.

Matt knows that his dreams are showing him a dead woman, and he also knows that he has some connection to the killing, but just isn’t sure how. The story dragged me straight in and point blank refused to let me go until the last page. The character Matt was likeable but not all that nice if I’m being 100% honest. I had the feeling that he may not be what we first thought and as the story progresses my opinion of him see-sawed violently from one chapter to the next.

The one thing I loved was the re-introduction of a great character Tina Boyd. She has appeared in The Crime Trade, Relentless, Deadline, Target, The Last Ten Seconds and Ultimatum. She is a great character and in this latest book she at first seems like she has taken the safer career option, which is until she meets Matt! As always the plot and pace are fast and frenzied and you are engaged from start to finish. There is plenty of action and you are constantly wondering when Matt’s chances are going to run out. This was certainly a great read and one that Kernick fans will enjoy. It’s also great to see Tina Boyd back in the saddle. I will as ever, look forward to the next hair raising book by Mr Kernick.